On September 23, 2021, The Port of Nehalem hosted Tillamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto and Tillamook County Department of Community Development Director, Sarah Absher as they shared critical information on the pending National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Biological Opinion (BiOp) Policies. The NMFS BiOp will impact many Tillamook County residents, farmers, businesses, and public entities in ways few of us fully realize.
As currently written, the BiOp directs the FEMA National Floodplain Insurance Program (NFIP) to impose severe restrictions and bans on future development, redevelopment or repair in floodplains statewide to protect fish habitat (salmon and steelhead). In Tillamook County, communities like Nehalem, Tillamook, Pacific City, and more exist within these highly restricted areas and would be severely impacted.
The goal of this meeting was to expand community awareness about the BiOp, look at specific examples of the BiOp’s critical impacts to the region, and what our residents, businesses, and public entities’ next steps might be.
Further references
FINAL Draft Oregon Implementation Plan for NFIP-ESA Integration
NFIP Reference Documents
Oregon NMFS NFIP Biological Opinion Summary (Updated August 2020)
Oregon NMFS NFIP Biological Opinion FAQ
Oregon NMFS NFIP Biological Opinion Focused Feedback Sessions Handout
NMFS Questions and Answers on Biop July 2016
NFIP Final Implementation Workshop
September 10, 2021
Draft – Oregon Implementation Plan for NFIP
NFIP Implementation Workshop Update #4
April 16, 2021
NFIP Implementation Draft Proposed Approach
NFIP BiOp Implementation Proposed Approach FAQ
NFIP Implementation Workshop #3
August 10, 2020
Virtual Flipchart Results: Local Options Brainstorming (Updated August 10, 2020)
NFIP Implementation Office Hours (#2)
July 7, 2020
NFIP Implementation Workshop #1
June 26, 2020
Oregon NFIP/ESA BiOp Implementation Webinar
March 20, 2020
Oregon NFIP/ESA BiOp Implementation Workshop
February 21, 2020
Webinar Presentation
Tribal Participation in Oregon NFIP-ESA Integration
Web Resources
Oregon’s Department of Land Conservation and Development information page for the NFIP in Oregon
FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program & the Endangered Species Act
Preserving an environmentally and economically sustainable Nehalem River and Bay